How much should I charge for this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Straight $500/day = $3500 for entire week.

Op here that sounds really high

$20.83/hr. Cheap.

[Anonymous]

Here is how I would do the billing for a gig like that.
$20 an hour for any time you are interacting with any of the kids.
So . . .
6 - 8:30 a.m. is 2 1/2 hours
3 to 10 p.m. is another 7 hours.
So that is 9 1/2 hours a day at $20 an hour = 190 dollars.

Plus another $50 for each overnight.

Plus 54 cents a mile for every mile you drive the kids.

Plus reimbursement for any groceries or other items you need to purchase for the family while there.

You said this includes the weekend, so on the weekend I would be charging $20 an hour from when the kids get up to when they are asleep in bed. Assuming the first kid is waking up at 6 a.m. and the last one is asleep by 10 p.m., that is $320 a day for the weekends.

If you are doing laundry, I might tack on an extra fee for that also.

Itemize your bill and write it all up for the parents when they return.

[Anonymous]

extra duties = driving to library, school project? Also, plz don't use "special needs" term unless they are real. A frustrating kid is not special needs.

$500 is insane to ask, go ahead and see what they say.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Straight $500/day = $3500 for entire week.

Op here that sounds really high

Pay about $1000 for 48 hours. Maybe do your hourly rate when you are with the kids plus mileage plus $100 per night you sleep there.

[Anonymous]

The kids are in school full time. So, this is not a 24/7 job.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Straight $500/day = $3500 for entire week.

Um ... no. Definitely charge IRS rate for mileage (54.5 cents/mile). That will make you feel much better about the driving. And then figure out an hourly rate you are happy with, plus an overnight rate. Charge the hourly rate for all hours you are with the children, and that way if an emergency comes up in the middle of the day, you can add those hours in.

$500 for 24 he day is less than $21/hr. She is in duty 24/7 for a week. $500/day is a bargain.

[Anonymous]

OP, you will not be able to charge nearly as much now as you would have if you negotiated in advance. Please send an e-mail to the parents now, and say, I am sorry for not clarifying in advance, but let's talk about compensation. They may or may not be expecting $20/hr for every hour the children are awake. My guess would be probably not.